Pump construction



March 12, 1935. H. E. LA BOUR 1,993,999

PUMP CONSTRUCTION Filed June so, 1932 v 5 Sheets-Sheet 1 I l; l 1 1 Q INVENTOR. fab/glitz Mama/31m y-fi m- ATTORNEYS W March 12, 1935.

H. E. LA BQUR PUMP CONSTRUCTION Filed June 30, 1932 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 L ATTORNEYS H. E. LABOUR 1,993,999

PUMP CONSTRUCTION March :12, 1935.

s Sheets-Sheet :5

Filed June 50. 1952 Q INVENTOR.

A TTORNE Y5 Patented Man. 12, 1935 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 14 Claims.

The present invention relates generally to fluid pumps and is particularly concerned with the provision of an improved pump construction especially adapted for handling corrosive fluids and the like.

In pumps handling corrosive fluids it is especially important to provide a pump construction wherein the pump casing is firmly supported and wherein the packing means for the pump shaft or its equivalent is so constructed and arranged that practically none of the corrosive fluid escapes from the pump casing. It is also desirable in pumps of this character to provide a construction wherein any small leakage of the corrosive fluid, which may occur under certain conditions, will not come into contact with any part of the pump or its supporting means or the joints thereof which would deteriorate the structure and cause the same to corrode. This is especially desirable in such constructions wherein parts are" separable to dispose the pump proper in different locations, but the present invention, of course, is not limited to this particular arrangement. The primary object of the present invention is to provide a pump construction wherein, in the first place, there is little likelihood of any leakage occurring and, in second place, wherein any leakage'which does occur is not permitted to come into contact with any'part of the structure which would be deleteriously affected thereby.

More specifically, the present invention con- 7 templates the provision of a pump construction occur is disposed of without permitting the, sam'e to' come into contact with the pump structure.

The presentinvention also contemplates the,

provisionof a supporting bracket for apump' of the'centrifugal type in which the bracket isgenerally U-shaped with one portion'thereof'acting as a base for supporting the pumpca'singla'nd associated structure and with another [portion acting as a split clamp 01 yoke'to adjustab lyreceive the hub of the pump casing." 'I 'he" inven' tion also contemplates forming the intermediate or cantilever. section of the supporting bracket eansand associated structure being mountwith spaced upwardly curved or upwardly disposed reinforcing webs. Preferably, also, the bearing means for supporting the entire weight of the drive shaft is disposed in the base portion and thereby spaced from the portion of the bracket which receives the pump casing, whereby there is no likelihood whatsoever of any of the corrosive fluid leaking into the bearing means. Rather, any leakage occurring will drop to the floor or base without ever touching or coming into contact with the pump structure because, in the first place, the casing supporting portion of the bracket is spaced from the bearing-receiving portion thereof, and, in the second place, because the upwardly disposed cantilever section provides a construction in which the supporting bracket is open between the hub casing and the bearings. In the latter respect'another advantage is realized, and that is that the pump shaft is easier to pack than in other forms of pumps. If a base is employed, suitable drains may be provided for conducting any leakage away from the structure.

Another object of thepresent invention is the provision of a pump construction, such as the one referred to above, in which cooling means is provided for the hub of the casing through which the drive shaft for the pump impeller extends.

These and other objects of the present invention are preferably attained by an illustrative structure shown in the accompanying drawings.

In the drawings: Figurel is a side view of a pump construction embodying an electrically driven centrifugal pump and employing the principles of the present invention;

Figure 2 is a vertical cross section taken substantiallyjinidwaythrough the construction iii lustratedin Figurel; and g Figure'3 is a top view, partly in plan and partly in elevation, illustrating the form -of' the supporting bracketwhen viewed from ab'oveand also illustrating the construction of the means for packing the'dri've shaft in the hub 'of the casing and the' means for maintaining the packing leak-tight. 1 j r Referring now to the drawings, the reference numeral 10 indicates a centrifugal pump of well known type, which may either be self-priming or non-primingthe pump 10 being supported by a supporting bracket indicated in its" entirety by the reference numeral 11 and driven by'an e'l'ectric motor or otherv source 'of power ind-ic'ated. generally by the reference "numeral: 12. j pump 10 comprises a' casing having a frontplate" 16 and a cup-shaped back plate 1'7, the latter inbest shown in Figure 2.

eluding an outlet chamber 18 on the periphery thereof and an axially disposed casing hub 19 The front and back plates 16 and 17 form a runner chamber 20 in which is disposed a runner or impeller 21 of more or'less conventional construction. The impeller 21 is preferably formed of corrosion-resistant material and includes a drive shaft section 22 preferably formed integral therewith and therefore likewise formed of corrosion-resistant material. The inlet for the runner chamber 20 is formed on the front plate 16 and includes a conical member 25 provided with flanges 26 with which the intake pipe 27 may be connected in any manner desired.

In order to support the pump casing 15 in a manner which precludes the possibility of any corrosive fluid coming into contact with the casing or any of the joints thereof, the present invention contemplates forming a supporting bracket of novel construction. The bracket is indicated in its entirety by the reference numeral 11 in Figure 1 and includes a base portion 30, a cantilever section 31, and a yoke or casing-receiving portion 32. Preferably, the base portion 30 of the supporting bracket 11 is formed with a bearing or sleeve portion 33, as best shown in Figure 2, having a bearing opening 34 which will be later described in detail. The cantilever section 31 is disposed above the bearing-receiving means or sleeve 33 and terminates in the yoke 32 which preferably takes the form of a split ring member, as indicated in Figure 2 by the reference numeral 35, within which the hub 19 of the pump casing is disposed. The split ring 35 may be contracted to securely clamp the hub of the casing, as by means of a clamping bolt 36.

The portion 31 of the U-shaped supporting bracket acts as a cantilever in supporting the entire weight of the casing from the base portion 30 and serves the important function of carrying the weight of the pump casing and associated structure without having closely adjacent thereto anystructure of the pump or the supporting bracket which might be corroded by any leakage. The cantilever section 31 is reinforced by a pair of spaced vertically disposed webs or flanges 38 and 39, the rear portions of these web or flanges rising from the bearing portion 33 of he bracket and being curved upwardly and forwardly and terminating in the split clamping yoke. 32. The reinforcing webs or flanges 38 and 39 are joined adjacent their forward ends by a connecting web 40 which, as best shown in Figure 2, rises from the bearing portion 33 of the base portion and curves upwardly, terminating some distance short of the yoke 32. Between the base portion 30 and the .yoke portion 32, the supporting bracket 11 is provided with laterally flared hoods 41 disposed near the lower portions of the cantilever flanges 38 and 39.

The base portion 30 of the supporting bracket terminates in a bolting flange 45 adapted to be secured to one portion of a base member 46, the latter including bracket-receiving bosses 47 and 48 for this purpose. The supporting base 46 is of more or less conventional construction and includes, in addition to the bosses 47 and 48, other bosses 51 and 52 for supporting the motor 12 and a boss 53 which may be utilized for supporting a strainer which under some conditions may be interposed in' the intake line 27. The base 46 in the present construction also includes a drain outlet 55 toward which the floor 56 of the supporting base 46 slopes so that any leakage dripping from the packing or the like will be directed away from the pump. The base 46 itself may be provided with bolting lugs 58 and 59. Preferably, also, the base portion 30 of the supporting bracket is hollow and is provided with a pair of cored holes 60.

In pumps capable of handling corrosive fluids and the like it is generally preferable to provide a drive shaft for the impeller which is formed of corrosion-resistant material, but in such constructions it is also desirable to provide a drive shaft section of steel or the like to receive the bearing means for supporting the entire drive shaft. Such construction is not broadly new, but the present invention contemplates certain improvements in this type of construction. The integral shaft section 22 connected with the impeller 21 is coaxially disposed with respect to the hub 19 and the bearing support 33 but terminates adjacent the latter. A shaft section is disposed in the bearing opening 34 of the base portion and is provided at its forward end with a recessed portion 66 keyed or otherwise suitably connected in non-rotatable relation with the shaft section 22. The shaft section 65 is hollow and a long draw bolt 68 is disposed therein and is threaded into an opening in the rear end of the shaft section 22. The rear end of the draw bolt 68 is threaded and receives a nut member 69 which bears against the rear end of the shaft section 65 and when tightened draws the shaft sections 22 and 65 together in rigid relationship.

Suitable bearing means are provided for the driving shaft section 65. At its forward end the bearing opening 34 in the supporting bracket receives a front bearing cover 70 having a flange 71 adapted to abut against the front end of the bearing opening. The front bearing cover includes a shouldered flange 72 adapted to receive the outer race 73 of anti-friction means 74, the inner race 75 of which is clamped between a shoulder 76 on the shaft section 65 and a lock nut 77 threaded onto the shaft section. The outer race 73 is held against the shoulder 72 by means of a front bearing sleeve 81 which fits within the front bearing cover and is securely held therein by means of a pin 82 or the equivalent. More than one pin 82 may be provided if desired. The bearing means for the rear end of the drive shaft section 65 comprises a rear bearing cover 85 including a flange 86 bearing against the rear end of the bearing opening and being adapted to receive the outer race 87 of anti-friction means 88, the inner race 89 of which is clamped between the shoulder 91 and a lock nut 92. Lock washers may be provided if desired for holding the lock nuts 77 and 92 in place. It will be noted that, where the outer race 73 of the front bearing means is rigidly secured to the front bearing cover, the outer race 87 of the rear bearing means is not clamped to the rear bearing cover 85 but is capable of some displacement therein.

The front bearing cover 70 and the rear bearing cover 85 are securely clamped in place in the bearing opening in the supporting bracket by means of stud bolts 94 which are best shown in Figure 3.- Two or more of these bolts may be provided, and when they are tightened the flanges 71 and 86 are drawn firmly against the ends of the bearing opening formed in the portion 33 of the supporting bracket. Since the anti-friction means 74 is capable of taking both radial and axially loads it will be clear that when the front and rear bearing covers are firmly se- ,70 to prevent rotation of the bolts.

curedin the supporting bracket the driving shaft is securely mounted for rotation in coaxial rela: tion with respect to the hub 19 of the pump casingand theyoke' 32 by which the casing is supported through the cantilever section 31 from the supporting base 30 but in spaced relation with respect vthereto. g p i The forwardmost end. of the front. bearing cover is formed with a circumferential recess encircling the drive shaft and receiving the rearwardly and outwardly directed flange 96 of a slinger ring 98 seated on a shoulder formed on the shaft section 22 and rotatable with the latter. The recess 95 is provided with a discharge lip 99, as best shown in Figure 2. The purpose of the slinger ring 98 is to throw any fluid leaking along the shaft 22 outwardly into the groove 95, from which the leakage drops from the discharge lip 99. In this way the bearings '74 and 88 are protected from coming into contact with any corrosive fluid pumped through the casing.

The means for packing the drive shaft where it passes through the hub 19 of the pump casing will now be described. Referring more particularly to Figures 2 and 3, the casing hub 19 is enlarged to provide a space for packing material 110. The packing is pressed into the hub and against the shaft section 22 by means of a packing gland 111 provided with an interior groove 112 adapted to receive lubricant or the like through a-short tube 113 with which a grease cup 114 is connected by means of a fitting 115. A cover piece 117 rests on the upper end of the connecting web 40 and the upper end of the tube 113. The short pipe or tube 113 communicates with the groove 112 through a short bore 118.

The packing gland 111 is enlarged at its rear end to provide a space to receive a second packing 122. This packing is held in place by means of a follower ring 123 engaged by a gland 'follower 125. The packing 122 prevents the escape of lubricant rearwardly while the packing 110 prevents the escape of the lubricant forwardly and also the escape of the pumped fluid rearwardly along the shaft 22.

The packing gland follower 125 is provided with a pair of oppositely disposed lugs 130, only one of which is shown in Figure 3, and these oppositely disposed lugs are provided with pockets 131 extending in a generally longitudinal direction. The pockets 131 are adapted to receive springs 132 mounted on bolts 134. Each pocket 131 terminates in an opening which is adapted to receive one of the bolts 134, the opposite end of each of the bolts being provided with ears 136 which register with slots in the front bearing cover Each of the bolts carries a wing nut 137 threaded onto the bolt and adapted to be turned to put tension into the springs 132 to thereby bias the gland follower 125 to compress the packing 122 and to force the packing follower 111 toward the left in Figure 2 to thereby also compress the packing material 110. The gland follower 125 need not completely encircle the shaft 122 but may be interrupted sufliciently to allow the gland follower to be removed from the shaft when the spring tension is released.

The amount of tension that must be placed on the packing gland follower depends upon the type of packing material used. Under certain conditions it may bepreferable to use a relatively soft packing material that can be maintained tightly against the revolving shaft 22 with a relatively small endwise pressure of a follower, in which case a finger-tight adjustment of the wing nuts 13'? is all that is necessary to prevent leakage of the pumped fluid and to prevent escape of the lubricant within the lubricant groove 112 in the packing gland 111. The choice of particular packing material will, to a large extent, be governed by tight, and under these latter conditions I prefer to provide means for cooling the hub 19. Generically, any form of cooling means may be utilized to dissipatethe heat caused by the friction of the packing on the rapidly rotating shaft 22. In Figures 2 and 3, however, I illustrate one type of cooling means which has been quite successful. The hub 18 is cored to provide a circumferential zig zag passageway, indicated in Figure 2 by the dotted lines 140. The passageway 140 for the cooling fluid emerges at the rear edge or end of the hub 19 at a plurality of spaced points. This end of the hub is machined to a plane surface in order to receive thereagainst a hub plate 141 in leak-tight relation. Preferably a gasket provided with suitable apertures is interposed between the end of the hub 19 and the plate 141. This plate is of material thickness and is provided with a plurality of slots or grooves 143 which serve to define or form the continuation of the passageway 140. The hub plate 141 is also provided with a pair of bosses 145 which are suitably bored to receive, respectively, the inlet and outlet connections 147 and 148 for the flow of cooling fluid. The bosses 145 are situated at the ends of the cooling passageway 140. The plate 141 is adapted to be firmly secured to the end of the hub 19 by a plurality of cap screws or any other suitable means desired. A drip ring is mounted on the plate 141, being held thereon by friction and being split or interrupted as idicated in Figure 3 by the reference numeral 156 so as to accommodate the cooling connections 147 and 148 and to allow the same to be slipped over the shaft 22. The purpose of the drip ring 155 is to divert any leakage which may possibly occur in order to prevent the fluid from getting in between the hub 19 and the split yoke 32 or in between the hub plate 141 and the hub 19. Any fluid which does get in between these parts tends to corrode them.

The rear end of the shaft section 65 is suitably splined, as indicated by the referencenumeral 160 in Figure 2, for the purpose of receiving one member of a flexible coupling 162 which serves to connect the driving motor 12 with the drive shaft. As indicated in Figure 2 the shaft driven or forming a part of the motor 12 is indicated by the reference numeral 161, and one end of this shaft is preferably disposed adjacent the rear end of the shaft 65 so that after the coupling, which is indicated by the reference numeral 162, has been disconnected and slipped out of place the. nut 69 may be backed off of the draw bolt 68 and, contacting with the end of the motor shaft 161, may be used to forcibly release or separate the shaft sections 22 and 65. The assembly of the pump and the mounting of the same in its supporting bracket may be accomplished as follows. First, the bearing means '74 is mounted on the end of the shaft section 65 and then, after the lock nut 77 has been threaded onto the end of the shaft section 65, the front bearing cover 70 is applied over theend of the shaft section 65. Next the front bearing sleeve 81 is slipped over the other end of the shaft section 65 and the pin 82 driven home to secure the bearing sleeve in the front bearing cover 70. The shaft section with the front bearing cover and associated structure in place is then passed through the opening in the yoke 32 and positioned in the bearing opening of the supporting bracket. Now the bearing means 88 is mounted on the rear end of the shaft section 65 and the lock nut 92 tightened and secured in place. Next the rear bearing cover is mounted over the rear end of the shaft 65, and then the stud bolts 94 are passed through the openings in the rear bearing cover 85 and threaded into the openings in the front bearing sleeve 81. When these bolts are tightened the two bearing covers are drawn together and are securely clamped with their flanges 71 and 86 in firm abutting relation with the ends of the bearing opening 34.

After the shaft section 65 has thus been assembled the pump 10 with the shaft section 22 is mounted in place with the slinger ring 98 and the packing gland 111 and hub plate 141 thereon, the opening in the yoke 32 being large enough to permit these parts to be passed therethrough, and the yoke bolt 36 is then tightened to firmly clamp the hub of the pump casing in the desired position.

Next the drip ring 155 is passed over the shaft 22 and mounted on the hub plate 141. Suitable packing is introduced in the hub 19 of the pump casing and the gland piece 111 moved thereagainst. The tube 113 can then be screwed in place, the cover plate 117 mounted and the grease cup 114 threaded into-the fitting 115. The connections 147 and 148 may be made at this time also. Next the gland follower is passed over the shaft 22 and when suitable packing 122 has been placed the gland follower may be pressed thereagainst and the bolts 134 mounted in place and the nuts 137 tightened to apply the desired pressure of the packing 110 and the packing 122.

In cases where it is desired to remove the pump 10 with the shaft sections 22 and 65 connected, all that it is necessary to do is to remove the connections 147 and 148, the drip ring and the grease cup connection 113, and then by removing the bolts 94 and the rear bearing cover 85 the pump and the interconnected shaft section, together with the bearings 74 and 88 and associated structure, may be withdrawn out through the opening in the hub-receiving yoke 32. It is also possible to remove the pump by loosening the nut 69 and the various packing members, in which case the pump and the shaft section 22 may be withdrawn, leaving the driving shaft section 65 in place in the supporting bracket.

The pump 10 may be mounted to discharge either horizontally, vertically or in any other position by merely loosening the clamping bolt 36 and readjusting the position of the hubplate 141 on the end of the hub 19. ,As mentioned above, the pump 10 may be either a pump of the selfprimmg type or the pump may be a non-priming pump as illustrated. The' present invention is not concerned primarily with any form of pump and hence, as far as my invention is concerned, the construction of the pump may be widely varied. For example, it is not essential to the present invention that a pump be employed which has a hub or the equivalent because my invention contemplates fixing the pump in the bracket in any of the various ways which may be conventionally accomplished. Myinvention also contemplates as one possible modification the construction wherein the back plate of the pump is formed integrally with the supporting bracket itself.

From the above it will therefore be apparent that while I have shown and described the preferred embodiment of my invention, the latter is not to be limited to the specific means shown and described, but that, in fact, widely different means may be employed in the practice of the broader aspects of my invention.

What I claim, therefore, and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. In a pump, a pump casing having a hub, a shaft rotatable therein, and a supporting bracket for the casing comprising an inverted U-shaped member terminating at one end in a base and. at the other end in a downwardly extending hub receiving portion, the intermediate portion of said member constituting an upwardly arched cantilever section, constituting the aligning and supporting means for the pump casing on said base.

2. In a pump, a pump casing having a hub, a supporting bracket for the casing comprising an inverted U-shaped member terminating at one end in a base and at the other end in a hub receiving portion, the intermediate portion of said member constituting a cantilever section for supporting the pump casing on said base, and said one end of the member having bearing means in axial alignment with said hub, a shaft rotatable in said hub and said bearing means and disposed beneath said cantilever section, said shaft being supported entirely by said bearing means, means for packing said shaft where it passes through said hub, and means also disposed beneath said cantilever section and reacting against the bearing portion of said member for maintaining said packing means tight.

3. In a pump, a pump casing having a hub, and a supporting bracket for the casing having a base portion and an upwardly extending curved portion acting as a cantilever section and provided with a pair of vertically disposed flanges, said cantilever section terminating in a downwardly extending, casing receiving ring split adjacent its upper portion between said flanges, and means'for clamping said split ring around the hub of the casing.

4. In a pump, a pump casing having a hub, a supporting bracket for the casing having a base portion and an upwardly and axially extending cantilever section terminating in a downwardly extending ring adapted to receive the hub of the casing, a rotatable shaft journaled in said base portion and disposed in said hub and below said cantilever section, the bracket being open between the ring and the base portion on the lower side of the shaft, bearing means in the base portion to receive said shaft, means for packing said shaft in said hub, and means disposed below the cantilever section for maintaining said packing means tight.

5. In a pump, a casing having a hub, an impeller rotatable therein and including an integral shaft section of corrosion-resistant material extending through said hub, a supporting bracket for the casing comprising a base portion having a bearing opening in axial alignment with said hub and an upwardly and forwardly extending cantilever section terminating in a yoke adapted to receive the hub of said casing to support the latter, said yoke being spaced forwardly of said bearing opening and said integral shaft section extending into the latter, front and rear bearing covers mounted in opposite ends of said bearing opening, a tubular shaft disposed in said bearing opening and including oppositely facing shoulders formed thereon, antifriction bearing means disposed adjacent the forward end of said tubular shaft and including an inner race secured against one of said shoulders and an outer race mounted in the front bearing cover, a front bearing sleeve for maintaining said outer bearing race in the front bearing cover, the front bearing means and said front bearing cover being removable forwardly from the bearing opening,

antifriction means for the rear end of said tubular shaft and including an inner race abutting against the other of said shoulders and locked on the tubular shaft-and an outer race, a rear bearing cover disposed in the rear end of said bearing opening and receiving said last named outer bearing race, said rear bearing means and the rear bearing cover being removable reafwardly from the tubular shaft and said bracket, means for locking the rear bearing cover to said front bearing sleeve for securing said front and rear bearing covers in place, and means disposed in said tubular shaft and reacting against the rear end thereof and connected with said integral shaft section for locking the tubular shaft onto said integral shaft section.

6. In a pump, a casing having a hub, an impeller rotatable in the casing and having an integral shaft section extending through said hub, a supporting bracket for the casing comprising a base portion having a bearing opening therethrough and a yoke portion spaced from said bearing opening and supported by said base portion, a hollow shaft disposed in said bearing opening and fitted over the outer end of said integral shaft section, a key engaging said shafts to prevent rotation of one with respect to the other, a bolt threaded into said impeller shaft section and extending through said hollow shaft, a nut threaded on said bolt and engaging the free end ofsaid hollow shaft to hold both of said shafts together, a shoulder formed near one end of the hollow shaft, a bearing having a member butted against said shoulder, means for holding said member in abutting position, a hearing cover mounted in said bearing opening and supporting said bearing, a second bearing means for the opposite end of said hollow shaft including a second bearing cover, and means for holding said bearing covers in position in said bearing opening.

'7. In a pump the combination of a bearing support comprising a hollow cylindrical member, a base for said member, a flanged cap fitted into one end of said member, a counterbore in said cap terminating in ashoulder, a ball bearing having a stationary race fitted in said counterbore against said shoulder, a bearing sleeve having a portion fitting into said counterbore and against said race and a portion overhanging the edge of said cap around said counterbore, means for locking said sleeve in said cap, a second flanged cap fitted into the opposite end of said cylindrical member, a counterbore in said second cap terminating in a shoulder, a second ball bearing having a stationary race fitted in said counterbore, a shaft supported in the movable races of said bearings, a shoulder on said shaft against which one of said races buttsfmeans spacing said movable races, a nut threaded on said shaft and bearing against the movable raceof the other bearing to hold said shaft therein, and means including a plurality of bolts threaded into said bearing sleeve and projecting through said second cap to lock said shaft/bearings, and caps in said member, an arched extension from the top of said bearing support terminating in a split clamp socket surrounding said shaft, a pump body having a hollow hub embraced by said split clamp socket, said shaft extending through said hub into the pump casing, there being a packing gland sealing the shaft to the hub, said arched extension providing space between the cylindrical memberof the bearing support and said hub to allow servicing of said packing gland and providing a drip space for leakage of liquid along the shaft.

8. In a pump, the combination of a bearing support comprising a hollow cylindrical member having a base, a flanged cap fitted into one end of said member, a counterbore in said cap terminating in a shoulder, a ball bearinghaving a stationary race fitted in said counterbore against said shoulder, a bearing sleeve having a portion fitting into said counterbore and against said race and a portion overhanging the edge of said cap at the end of said counterbore, means for locking said sleeve in said cap, a second flanged cap fitted into the opposite end of said cylindrical member, a counterbore in said second cap, a second ball bearing having a stationary race fitted in said latter counterbore, a shaft supported in the movable races of said bearings, a shoulderon said shaft against which one of said races butts, means spacing said movable races, a nut threaded on said shaft and bearing against the movable race of said second bearing to hold said shaft therein, flanges on said caps disposed outside of said cylindrical member, means including a plurality of bolts threaded into said bearing sleeve and projecting through said second cap to lock said shaft, bearings, and caps in said cylindrical member, an arched extension from the top of said bearing support terminating in a cylindrical hub clamp in axial alignment with the said cylindrical member, a pump casing having a hollow hub by which the same is supported, said hub being held in said hub clamp, a pump runner shaft projecting through said hub into alignment with said first shaft, means for holding said runner shaft and said first shaft in alignment in driving relation, a packing gland sealing said hub and said runner shaft to prevent escape of liquid along said shaft, said arched extension providing a clearspace between the hub clamp and said cylindrical member for servicing said packing gland, the diameter of said hub clamp being great enough to pass said first cap and to permit removal of said cap and driving shaft through the hub clamp when the aforesaid bolts are released.

9. In a pump, an impeller having a shaft terminating at its free end in a portion of reduced diameter, a hollow shaft having a counterbore fitted over the reduced portionof said impeller shaft, a key engaging said shafts to prevent rotation of one with respect to the other, a bolt threaded into said impeller shaft and extending through said hollow shaft, a nut threaded on said bolt and engaging the free end of said hollow shaft to hold said shafts together, a collar formed on the outside of said hollow shaft adjacent said counterbore, a bearing having a member butted against said collar, a second bearing having a member disposed around said hollow shaft, means on the shaft for spacing the shaft members of said bearings, a nut threaded on said hollow shaft and bearing against said second bearing to lock said bearings and spacing member thereon, .a pedestal for supporting said bearings to thereby support said shafts and said impeller and an upwardly arched extension from the pedestal lying above said shaft and terminating in a concentric portion surrounding the impeller shaft.

10. In a pump, a pump casing having a hub, a supporting bracket for the casing comprising an inverted U-shaped member terminating at one end in a base portion and at the other end in a downwardly extending hub receiving yoke spaced from the base portion, the intermediate portion of said member connecting the base portion with said hub receiving yoke constituting an upwardly arched cantilever section serving as the aligning and supporting means for the pump casing when the latter is disposed in said yoke, the lower portion of said bracket underneath the cantilever section and between the base portion and said yoke being open, and laterally and downwardly flared hoods carried by the intermediate cantilever section, one being disposed on each side thereof, said hoods being connected with the base portion and said yoke to reenforce the supporting bracket.

11. In a pump, a pump casing having a hub, a shaft rotatable therein, and a supporting bracket for the casing comprising an inverted U-shaped member terminating at one end in a base portion and at the other end in a downwardly disposed hub receiving portion, the intermediate portion of said member constituting an upwardly arched cantilever section serving as the aligning and supporting means for the pump casing carried by said yoke, a shaft disposed under said cantilever section and rotatable in said hub, and laterally and downwardly flared hoods formed integrally with said base and yoke portions and said intermediate cantilever section, there being one of said hoods on each side of said cantilever section and both of said hoods being connected with the base portion and the yoke portion at points below the cantilever section and having marginal portions arched upwardly therebetween to aiford access to said shaft.

12. In a pump, a pump casing having a hub, a supporting bracket for the casing having a base portion and an upwardly and axially extending cantilever section provided with a pair of laterally spaced vertically disposed reenforcing flanges, said cantilever section terminating in a downwardly extending yoke adapted to receive and support the hub of said casing, a rotatable shaft journaled in said base portion and disposed in said hub below the cantilever section andsubstantially midway between the planes of said vertical flanges, said cantilever section including a connecting web disposed above said shaft and connecting said vertically disposed flanges, said connecting web being interrupted adjacent said yoke to provide for access to the shaft from above, said supporting bracket being open between the base portion and said yoke portion on the lower side of said shaft, means disposed below the opening in the cantilever section between said vertical flanges for packing the shaft in said hub, and laterally and downwardly extending hoods connecting the base and yoke portions and said cantilever section, said hoods merging into and forming a part of said vertically disposed flanges. 13. In combination, a base, a bearing and pump supporting member having a pedestal portion resting on the base, a shaft extending through said pedestal portion and having bearings therein, a pump casing having a cylindrical hub through which said shaft projects, a split band for clamping and supporting said hub in alignment with the bearings in said pedestal portion, and a pair of substantially vertically disposed flanges extending from the top of the pedestal portion to the top of said split clamp and lying above the shaft. 14. In combination a pump casing having a hub, an impeller shaft extending out of said hub, a supporting bracket for the pump casing and shaft, comprising a base portion adapted to be spaced from the pump casing, said bracket also comprising a tubular bearing supporting portion, a driving shaft section journaled at said bearing supporting portion and coupled to said impeller shaft in axial alignment, said bracket comprising a cantilever arm extending from said base portion above the bearing supporting portion toward the hub of the pump casing the end of the arm having a hub clamping member, said clamping member and said hub having cooperating circumferentially and axially engaging surfaces to center the hub with the bearing supporting portion and to space the hub and bearing portion respectively, and bolt means for clamping said hub and clamping member together, said supporting bracket providing an open space between said base portion and the hub below said shaft. HARRY E. LA BOUR. 

